Girl, 3, falls from Lake Stevens window

Published 11:41 am Tuesday, April 20, 2010

LAKE STEVENS — A 3-year-old Lake Stevens girl was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Monday after she fell out of a second-story window.

The child reportedly was standing on a chair and leaning on a window screen that gave way, Lake Stevens Police Chief Randy Celori said.

The accident occurred around 4 p.m. in the 500 Block of 127 Avenue NE, he said.

The girl was recovering in satisfactory condition today.

Each year, dozens of children throughout Washington end up in emergency rooms after similar falls from windows, usually between May and October. A Marysville boy fell from a window on March 24.

Warm weather plays a role, officials say. Yesterday’s temperatures soared near 70 degrees.

Prevention is the best way to prevent the falls, said Kristen Thornstenson, a spokeswoman for Snohomish County SafeKIDS.

Never rely on window screens to prevent a fall, she said. Don’t open a window more than 4 inches. Consider securing all windows with guards that are available in hardware stores and move chairs, cribs and other furniture away from windows.

Temperatures are expected to cool down and remain in the mid-50s for the remainder of the week, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle.